THE SCHAUMBURG GOLF CLUB 401 N. Roselle Road has a 40% off all-apparel sale through Monday Dec. 30th, and it’s simulators are open daily 9 Am to 8 Pm. This Sunday night, there is a hockey-golf night this Sunday, with the Blackhawks-Columbus game starting at 4 Pm. Call the pro shop for details at (847)-885-9000, or visit online at Schaumburggolf.com and learn about the course renovation work. (R) PINE MEADOW in Mundelein will be open all weekend, call the pro shop for tee times (847)-566-4653.    ______________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by Rory Spears, Director of Content and Creation, follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy and on LinkedIn and Facebook. At Shinnecock Hills on Long Island NY.

THE TEN’S ARE PASSING US BY, and in a few days they will be gone. The 20’s are coming, will they be the next version of the “Roaring 20’s” like they were a 100 years ago.

Before the 20’s arrive, I’m going to take this moment to remember the “Best of” the “Tens or the Teens”.

What were the Best 10 Courses I played in the last 10 years, there are so many that could make the list. My list of courses played over the last 10 years has grown from 275+, to almost 530.

But what were the Best 10 courses, or experiences in the last decade. Actually there were plenty, and many more than 10 could have made the list.

THE HONORABLE MENTION 10 include the following.The Pete Dye Course at the French Lick Resort, French Lick Ind., Wissahickon at the Philadelphia Cricket Club PA.,  Erin Hills WI., Bandon Dunes OR.,Copperhead at Innisbrook FL., The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island., Streamsong-courses FL.,Bay Harbor MI.,Medinah 3 IL., Pine Tree FL.

THE TEN-starting with a tie for 10th place.

  (L) The Club at Porto Cima part of the Four Seasons resort in Lake in the Ozarks MO., this Jack Nicklaus design never receives the credit it deserves. It should be hosting a major at some level. It’s powerful rolling hills and scenic views make this a great track and it’s one everyone can and should play. (R) Calusa Pines Naples FL., this Hurdzan and Fry design might be the best course in Florida, with a tip of the cap to several other courses, and I have not yet played Seminole. I had one of the best caddies I have ever had at Calusa Pines, and played here on a Saturday afternoon in January, while it was 25 degrees in Chicago. Several tour pro’s have memberships here, and it’s not hard to see why. The course is private.

NINE-Mammoth Dunes at Sand Valley Resort, Nakoosa Wi.

  Mammoth Dunes is public and part of the Sand Valley Resort, built by Mike Keiser. Keiser brought in David Kidd to do the second course, after seeing Kidd’s work at Gamble Sands in Washington. While there is no ocean in Wisconsin, like at Bandon Dunes where Kidd designed Bandon Dunes for Keiser, Kidd hit another home run for Keiser when he designed Mammoth Dunes, that has a small touch of the blind shot mixed in on several holes. Golfers love it, I loved it, you will too. Go Play it, everyone can.

EIGHT-Friar’s Head-Long Island NY.

 Friars Head is a Coore and Crenshaw design on Long Island that is one of the best courses in area, much less all of America. It’s a great walk with a great variety of holes. It’s too bad the club is private, because if you love the game of golf, this one place you should get to enjoy once. Even the walk between 15 and 16 takes you out through the trees and down a walk-way over water, and back through the trees and onto the golf course. Pretty special.

SEVEN-Bethpage Black-Long Island NY.

  You are warned in advance about playing here, just don’t if you don’t have some game. But you can play here in Bethpage State Park if you want to, but there are other courses to pick from. It’s not the easiest walk, and caddies are an option, a good one at that. Two U.S. Opens have been played here, one PGA Championship was in this current year, and the Ryder Cup rolls in come 2024. Go play if your ready for a solid challenge of your golf skills.

SIX-Old Macdonald-Bandon Dunes Resort, Bandon OR.

Old Macdonald is a tribute to Chicago Golf and other courses by C.B. Macdonald at Bandon Dunes. It’s great course to enjoy with your friends. Owner Mike Keiser thinks it’s the most fun course at his Bandon Dunes Resort in Oregon. He is correct. I played all 5 courses there at the time, and saved the best for last, Old Mac. Go play it, and while there starting in June 2020, try out the new Sheep Ranch by Coore and Crenshaw.

FIVE-Whistling Straits-Haven/Kohler WI. Part of the American Club Resort.

   STEVE STRICKER and PADRAIG HARRINGTON will fight over the Ryder Cup in September of 2020, before then you can play Whistling Straits, and take a caddie for a great walk down the shores of Lake Michigan. Some say it’s Pete Dye’s best work, and those people might just be right.

FOUR-Chicago Golf Club, Wheaton IL.

  Chicago Golf is another one of those special places I wish each golfer could enjoy at least once. History just hangs over this little club, and in 2018 the inaugural U.S. Senior Women’s Open was played here. When you walk these fairways you can’t help but enjoy golf as it was meant to be played a hundred years ago. In the case of Chicago Golf, that number is over 125 years.

THREE-Pinehurst #2, Pinehurst NC. part of the Pinehurst Resort.

Pinehurst 2 is one of the great historic courses in America, Donald Ross maybe the best architect in American golf history designed #2. Some say it’s his masterpiece, and his house is just off the 3rd hole. U.S. Open’s and U.S. Amateurs get played here for a reason. Some folks who don’t have the game or the patience aren’t fans of the greens, but they are one of the great challenges in golf. It’s a U.S. Open course you can play. The walk with a caddie is one of the best in golf. The Coore & Crenshaw renovation was a good one. Pinehurst 2, just for you. Go Play history, and where history is made.

TWO-Shinnecock Hills, Long Island NY.

Shinnecock Hills is ranked one of the Top 10 courses in the country every year. It’s another one of those great walks, every golfer should have the chance to take at least once. Like Pinehurst #2, U.S. Opens get played here on the William Flynn design for a reason, this course is just that good. The clubhouse is really special, with history down the walls every where. More history will be made in 2026, when the U.S. Open returns.

ONE-Merion Golf Club, Ardmore PA.

Merion is my favorite golf course, everything about it is really neat. From the drive in past the short par 3 13th hole, to the Red and Orange wicker-baskets that serve as flag sticks. History is made here, and the U.S. Open was back again in 2013. Ben Hogan won his miracle U.S. Open here after surviving getting hit head-on in his car by a Greyhound Bus. Club historian John Capers runs the best history room you will ever find at any club, that’s filled with amazing artifacts from the clubs history. I’ve played this course twice, and now Gil Hanse has done restoration work since my last visit. I need to go back in the 2020’s. Merion, where Bobby Jones won the only “Grand Slam” in golf history, closed it out here at Merion. With that I closed out my list.

Now I wonder if I can come up with a better list for the next decade. This one will be tough to beat. Stay clicked in for 20 courses on my hit list for 2020. RS